Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

“More keyholes to find,” Amy said.

“Wow, I’m really enjoying this mystery stuff,” Beau said and nodded to the key I held. “I can’t wait to see what both keys open.”

“Whatever you do, Pepper, don’t go finding an old bunch of bones and another murder mystery,” my dad said.

“To late,” Josh said, heading toward us. “We found a body.”

“You’re not going,” my dad ordered, pointing his finger at me as I jumped up from the couch. “You are going to stay put.”

“But I might be able to identify him,” I argued.

“You said you didn’t see his face,” my dad reminded me.

I also reminded. “But I saw his clothes.”

“It doesn’t matter. We can identify the guy,” Josh said. “It’s the photographer that was snooping around Pepper’s place.”

“Was his throat cut like Struthers?” I asked.

“Yup,” Josh said, then shook his head and rolled his eyes realizing what he’d done.

“What have I told you time and time again?” my dad reprimanded. “Don’t respond to your sister when it concerns a police matter.”

I hurried to have the obvious confirmed. “With both throats cut on the two murder victims, it means the same guy not only committed both murders but was most likely somehow connected to both victims.”

“That’s just logical,” my dad said.

“See, she got you to answer her too,” Josh complained.

“Enough!” my dad ordered. “We have a crime scene to investigate. Josh, see that one of the men takes your sister home and have him sit on her place. Have another man take Amy home.”

“I can see that she gets home,” Beau offered.

“That all right with you, Amy?” my dad asked.

Amy nodded and leaned into Beau as he wrapped his arm around her.

I went to argue with my dad.

He shook his finger at me. “Not a word from you. And I know what you’re thinking, and Ian is not taking you home. He is needed here. I want to review his cameras and have him identify anyone who might be on them. You are going home with one of my men and he will sit outside in his patrol car until I order otherwise.”

I was not about to be sent home like a child. “I’ll stay and review the cameras with Ian, since I know most everyone here at the lodge. Besides you have limited men and can use all the help you can get in investigating the crime scene, especially this late at night.”

“Afterwards, I can take Pep home, if that’s all right with you, sir,” Ian said.

“Have we somehow stepped back in time that I can’t make my own decision, that a man needs to do it for me, or get permission from my father?” I asked and raised my hand to stop my dad from delivering a lecture. “How many times do I need to remind you that I’m a grown woman, Dad, and that I have an exceptional guard dog.”

“Who unlocks doors for people,” my dad reminded.

“Only people he knows and trusts,” I said. “I also now have cameras surrounding my house.”

“That’s right, you have cameras now,” Josh said. “We’re going to need to check your cameras as well.”

“Why?” I asked and saw my dad scrub his face with his hand as he shook his head and knew what Josh would say.

“The dead guy was found on your property.”

27

My cell woke me out of a sound sleep the next morning and I groped for it on my nightstand as I forced my eyes open… 6:30 am. I groaned. Then I caught the name and groaned again. It was my brother Danny and at this hour I knew what he wanted.

Reluctantly, I answered. “What’s the problem?”

“Two people called out and I need you like twenty minutes ago. I have several big deliveries this morning and I need you to man the register and help with some displays and a dozen other things. It’s only till one. Sue and Benny come in then and, with the deliveries done, you can take off,” Danny said, without taking a breath.

Danny was a great guy, but he got himself worked up when things went off kilter. His wife Kelly was the opposite, calm, cool, and collected like nothing in the world could bother her. They balanced each other well, since Danny worried when worry was necessary, and Kelly remained calm when calm was called for. With her away, Danny was completely off balance.

“Twenty is the soonest I can get there. I need to dress and feed the animals,” I said being truthful since if I told him ten, he’d be calling me nonstop if I was a minute past it.

“Then get a move on,” he ordered and hung up.

I groaned as I stretched myself awake, then gave Mo a poke beside me. “If I have to get up, so do you and what have I told you about sneaking into my bed at night?”